This invention relates to sails or other pliant lifting surfaces and more particularly to sails which carry battens.
Battens are used in sails to provide support for the sail beyond that which is provided by the rigging. The battens are typically elongate and flat and flexible in one direction, and are made of wood or composite materials, such as fiber reinforced plastics. The battens are inserted into vertically spaced elongated pockets which extend generally horizontally or at a slight downward angle across the sail body from the rear edge or leech of the sail toward the luff. The batten pockets are normally constructed from strips of fabrics, with the edges of the strip sewn to the body to form a pocket which is open at the leech to enable insertion of the batten. Battens are employed, for example, in mainsails to provide support for the roach, or an enlarged region adjacent the leech.
Except in the case of a full batten sail, wherein the batten extends from luff to leach, a conventional batten and it associated pocket extend from the leech across only a portion of the sail and terminate at an inner end at a location in the body of the sail. It is known that the region of the sail adjacent to the inner end of the batten is subject to heavy stresses and shocks. The battens are relatively heavy and inflexible in comparison to the sail fabric and may transmit shocks or high stresses to the fabric when the sail is flogging, especially at the interior ends of the battens. This may cause undesirable excessive stretch in the fabric or premature failure of the sail.
In order to accommodate stresses at the batten ends, it is known to apply reinforcing strips of cloth or fabric at the inner ends of the batten pocket. For example, two strips of cloth may be sewn in the form of an "X", with the center being located at the end of the batten pocket. Each strip must be sewn on separately, which is a labor intensive operation, especially with larger sails, and reinforcement in all directions is not provided. It is also known to apply reinforcing patches of fabric at the corners and other attachment points of a sail.